Cyber Attack Disrupts European Airports, Hundreds of Flights Affected

Strategic Insights -

A cyber attack on Collins Aerospace's check-in and boarding systems has caused widespread disruption at European airports, including London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The issue began on Friday night and continued throughout Saturday, causing hundreds of flights to be cancelled or delayed. Passengers faced long queues and confusion as airlines were forced to carry out check-in and boarding operations manually. Despite efforts to resolve the issue, Heathrow advised passengers to check their flight status before traveling and warned of further delays.

Key Takeaways:

  • The cyber attack targeted Collins Aerospace's Muse (multi-user system environment) software, causing electronic customer check-in and baggage drop to be unavailable.
  • The disruption affected several European airports, including London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin, with hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed.
  • British Airways at Terminal 5 remained unaffected and operated as normal.
  • Around 14 flights were cancelled, and some delayed across the other terminals on Saturday, although it is unclear how many were caused by the technical issue.
  • Collins Aerospace stated that they were actively working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and restore full functionality to their customers.
  • The European Commission is monitoring the situation and has confirmed that aviation safety and air traffic control remain unaffected.
  • Brussels Airport reported that check-in operations were heavily disrupted due to the cyber attack, causing delays and cancellations of flights.

Statistics:

  • 14 flights were cancelled or delayed across several European airports.
  • Hundreds of passengers faced long queues and confusion due to the technical issue.
  • The disruption affected several airlines and airports across multiple countries.
  • Collins Aerospace's Muse software was unavailable, causing electronic customer check-in and baggage drop to be unavailable.
  • The European Commission confirmed that aviation safety and air traffic control remain unaffected.

Sources:

  • PA (Public Affairs) news agency.
  • European Commission statement.
  • Collins Aerospace statement.
  • Brussels Airport statement.
  • Berlin Airport statement.
  • (Note: No publication date was provided in the original source material.)